‘It wasn’t an easy match’: Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal reacts after winning the semi-final of the Italian Open against Reilly Opelka in Rome yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal advanced to the Italian Open final for the 12th time on Saturday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over American Reilly Opelka. The Spaniard will play either defending champion Novak Djokovic or Italian Lorenzo Sonego in what will also be his 52nd Masters final.

Playing his 500th clay-court match, Nadal staved off break points in the fourth game of the first set and did not look back to win through in 1hr 32min. "It's important for my confidence to be back in a final," said Nadal, who exited early in Monte Carlo and Madrid. "I did what I had to do today, it was not an easy or beautiful match to play. "The work is done," he added.

Two weeks before Roland Garros, Nadal had a tough run to the semi-finals, saving two match points in a 3hr 30min third round battle with Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
But Nadal, 34, was rarely troubled by the towering American, who was playing his first Masters semi-final. Nadal blasted down 11 aces and did not drop serve against a player who had not dropped a set all week.

Pliskova in third straight Italian final

Czech ninth seed Karolina Pliskova booked her berth in a third consecutive Italian Open final on Saturday with a three sets win over Croatia's Petra Martic. Former World No. 1 Pliskova won through 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 in the semi-final as she bids to reclaim the title she won in 2019 but lost last year after retiring injured while trailing Romania's Simona Halep in the final. Earlier Poland's reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek ousted fifth seed Elina Svitolina, a two-time Rome winner, 6-2, 7-5 in 1hr 36min.

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